News & Notes: Another mattress store on Park Avenue and city takeover of portion of S.R. 426
Commissioners did not vote on new retail strategies report, but want to continue conversation about how to attract the right mix of shops
By Beth Kassab
Another mattress store — this time Saatva.com — is going in on Park Avenue at the southwest corner of Comstock Avenue, just across the street from Tempur-Pedic.
The store represents continued changes on Park Avenue, the city’s premier shopping and dining district, as the City Commission is considering a slate of proposed retail strategies.
A new strategies report recommends ways the city can improve not only its central Park Avenue district, but the other retail corridors: Hannibal Square; Fairbanks Avenue; Orange Avenue; U.S. 17-92, which the city also calls “The Golden Mile,” and Aloma Corners on the corner of Lakemont Avenue and S.R. 426.
“Preemptive action is needed to ensure that Park Ave remains metro Orlando’s premier ‘Main Street’ experience in the minds of Central Florida residents, given the ascendancy of newer competitors such as Winter Garden, Mt. Dora, etc.,” the report states.
Commissioners did not take a vote on the report, but rather discussed how to go about having an ideal mix of stores that will bring foot traffic and provide the best experience.
Stay tuned for more.
City explores taking over portion of S.R. 426
The city of Winter Park is exploring how it can take over the dangerous stretch of S.R. 426 between Park Avenue and Lakemont Avenue since the state’s proposed fixes may not go far enough.
Residents and some commissioners support adding a traffic signal at some of the side streets such as Henkel Circle, Alberta Drive or Cortland Avenue, where residents often find it difficult to turn in and out along the busy corridor that has logged more than 600 crashes in five years.
But the intersections don’t meet the state’s requirements for a new signal and so proposed changes include lighted pedestrian signals, more markings, wider medians, landscaping and other enhancements aimed at slowing down traffic.
Charles Ramdatt, director of public works and transportation, said the next step would be to have a meeting with the state to determine how a transfer of jurisdiction from the state to the city would work. The commission can expect to hear another update once that takes place.
Questions or comments? Email the editor at WinterParkVoiceEditor@gmail.com
We are at the Demetree company have pushed for more great types of retail. Unfortunately our project at Orange Ave that was approved got stopped. This article conflicts with actually what’s happening at the city.
We have been trying to put a really cool concept at the corner of Orange and 1792 which the neighbors are all for and can’t get anyone to listen either at planning and zoning or at the commission.
Again, this article is in conflict about what the city is really trying to do. And yes, we are not keeping up with the other small cities downtown.
Mary Demetree: At the Demetree Co you continue to push for a return of R4 type zoning and the introduction of a new level of density, intensity, and residential development the likes of which WP has never seen. You lost your challenge to the OAO at the administrative level. But you have not dismissed your ongoing lawsuit seeking to reinstate the OAO as originally passed. It is ongoing. Be honest. Cool retail? Or massive apartments buildings and a hotel with massive, wrapped parking garages? McLaren thinks WP is cool. They did not choose Winter Garden. WP is doing more than just okay. Saatva is going in on Park Ave because Saatva can afford to pay what the landlord is asking.
This commission has painted themselves into a corner on OAO. They blew it up based on half-truths and fear-mongering to get themselves elected. Now they’ve got a new park for $4,000,000 in taxpayer funds, no “live, work, play” development that would naturally force out Seminole Co. commuters (14,000 per day) and no huge property tax income generated for the city. And the dangerous intersection of Minn.-Denning-Orange still has had no improvements. According to FDOT crash data, nearly 500 crashes have occurred along Orange Avenue or at its major intersections between 2014 and 2019.
A good plan that would reduce outside traffic, slow cars down, make the streets safer for peds and improve storm water runoff was dismissed. Yeah, let’s look over here…at Aloma. hmmm….
Another Mattress Store is not what WP needs on Park Avenue…
“Which the neighbors are all for” – False.
I would love to see an Apple Store in Winter Park. That would put it centrally located between the Mall at Millenia and Altamonte Springs.
Gads! More than 600 crashes in 5 years. That is 120+ per year. Like every three days a crash. If that is what it takes to reduce that number dramatically then the city needs to go for it I figure.
What is the city’s plan to upgrade the stormwater system? It would have been a more sensible move if it had been executed 15 years ago. The city has prioritized constructing buildings over improving roads and the stormwater system and other infrastructure. Additionally, the proposed addition of a mattress shop on Park Ave. is laughable at best. Many years ago, Park Ave lost its status as a top shopping destination. The City Council has let us down, and their decision to build a library and multi-purpose building that resembles a university campus library is questionable. Maybe it’s worth checking if Palm Beach has any mattress stores on their stretch of premier businesses along Worth Avenue.
The city requires a focused infrastructure commission, particularly for the electrical grid. Measures to safeguard city residents’ electricity during storms have been woefully overlooked and demand immediate attention. The city’s infrastructure requires immediate attention and care.
Lights at Cortland and Henkel make the most sense. That would slow people down from being able to go into the dangerous curves at high rates of speed. It would also alleviate half the traffic trying to go westbound on 426 from Phelps as many of those people could turn left at Cortland but don’t because of the danger at the curves.
If you look closely at the accident statistics on 426 they are for the most part rear end collisions and sideswipes.
The rear end collisions come with the proximity of red light cameras that force motorists to slam on the breaks or accelerate sharply the moment a traffic light turns yellow in order to avoid the dreaded ticket.
The sideswipe accidents are due to the narrow lanes on 426.
If the City took out the red light cameras and removed only one lane of traffic (thus widening the other lanes to normal width), accidents on 426 would be slim to none.
But instead, some wealthy residents in the neighborhood with the cooperation of Winter Park politicians are using the statistics as an opportunity to lobby for more traffic lights in their neighborhood for their own convenience. The traffic lights will not reduce the number of accidents because the lack of traffic lights is not causing the accidents.
If this was about safety they would be asking for No Left Turn signs on 436.
They are not.
That tells you a lot about the real agenda here.
426 is just one of the problem areas. Let’s look at the degraded street surfaces on the main arterials AND the unmaintained brick streets throughout the city. They are definitely underlying causes of accidents during inclement weather.
Maybe the mattress stores will allow us to take naps as a recharger after looking for a parking spot. By the time I find one, I am exhausted. But no silk sheets please, as I slid off and bumped up my head the last time.